Concerto en fa majeur

In November 1778, about a year after completing his first oboe concerto in C major - KV 314 (the only one that went down posterity in its entirety), Mozart drafted the first sketches of a second oboe concerto, in F major. However, only the initial tutti and the beginning oj the solo part were completed. Nothing is known about the genesis of this second concerto. Yet it is most likely related to the presence in Mannheim of the virtuoso oboe player Friedrich Ramm whom Mozart befriended, as evidenced by a letter to his father, dated Dec. 4, 1777, in which he mentions "an oboe player who plays very well and with a very pure tone". Mozart's 1781 oboe quartet KV 370 was composedfor Ramm. Unlike oboists, sopranos enjoy an extensive Mozartian repertoire with vocal parts oj dazzling virtuosity often reminiscent of brilliant solo instrumental writing. It was therefore almost impossible to resist the temptation to 'create' a concerto with two arias in F major, KV 538 'Ah se il ciel, begnine stelle' and KV 368 'Ma que vi fece' (without the introductory recitative). Both airs feature here in their original version and in a slightly ornamented version for a more instrumental rendering. The second movement is borrowed from the Andante for flute and orchestra KV 315, transposed down one full step from its original key of C major in order to follow the classical pattern of harmonie relationship F-B flat-F. No doubt oboists will enjoy this wonderful new opportunity to revel in the pure magic of a music that never ceases to renew itself! David WALTER